Mennie to resume battle with Proteas stars

Joe Mennie was born in Coffs Harbour, is based in Adelaide and last month copped a record-breaking belting on international debut in Johannesburg.

Hobart will be the scene of Mennie's Test debut on Saturday and the paceman is upbeat it will prove a happier hunting ground than the Wanderers, where South Africa hammered him for 0-82 in a recent one-dayer.

It was the worst figures by an Australian on ODI debut.

"It was a tough induction," Mennie said.

"You can bowl what you bowl but your good balls are going to go for four or six. They are good quality batsman on good pitches."

Mennie bounced back strongly on the same tour, dismissing Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy at Cape Town.

That performance, coupled with the change in formats, will be a source of self-belief when he bowls to the same batsmen in the second Test.

"I was disappointed after the first one. I thought I started not too bad in my debut game but then I fell away a bit and lost my way," he said.

"Which dented the confidence, ... but to show what I could do boosted it. It's been a whirlwind couple of months."

Mennie will replace Peter Siddle in Australia's attack for the second chapter of the three-Test series, having demanded national selectors' attention with a competition-best haul of 51 Sheffield Shield wickets last season.

Mennie has only claimed eight first-class wickets at Bellerive but the right-armer is no stranger to Hobart, having previously been on the books of the city's Big Bash League franchise.

"I know the conditions and the venue, and if I do get the chance it will help," Mennie said.

"There's a little bit there for the bowlers if you bend your back and give it a chance.

"It's generally been a pretty good wicket to bowl on. Last couple of years it's been a pretty decent batting track.

"But nothing really changes from my point of view with my bowling - it's line and length stuff. Day in, day out."

Predicted wet weather could also be something of a boon.

"This sort of wicket tends to suit bowlers on the overcast days," he said.

Mennie admitted he had mixed feelings about the prospect of replacing Siddle, who may have played his last Test after suffering another back injury.

Siddle, the most experienced member of the 12-man squad that assembled in Perth last week, was full of tips and tricks for his protege.

"He's been really good to have a chat to regarding bowling," Mennie said.

"It's an unfortunate incident .. he's been a great stalwart for years and to be injured is not ideal for him or Australian cricket."